The tongue of cats differs in appearance from that of the tongue of dogs or humans because it contains certain parts that have specialized functions. Here are some amazing facts about your cat’s tongue:

• The cat’s tongue is a perfect grooming tool because it has barbs that can help remove loose hair, debris, and dirt during grooming. Take note, however, that ingesting loose hairs can increase a cat’s risk of having hairballs in the stomach.
• Barbs are projections that cover the tongue of cats, giving it rough appearance and a sandpaper-like texture. They are called filiform papillae and are made keratin, the same material fingernails are made of. The barbs help in scraping off meat from bones. Since their orientation is toward the direction of the cat’s throat, they help move the food to the esophagus.
• Cats have fewer taste buds thus they are not unable to distinguish certain flavors like salty and sweet flavors.

Your kitty will benefit from regular wellness visits at your best vet Mt. Airy, MD.